Tooth-brush.



l. T. WILSON.

TooH BRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 1916.

Patented July 2, 1918.

I fi /lf L. M,

:rOsErn 'i'. WILSON,

OE CLAYTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To SILVER-CHAMBEm-.IN

COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

A TOOTH-BRUSH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

- Patented July 2, 1918.

Application led December 26,1916. Serial No. 138,842.

Y To all lwiom t may concern.'

y holder.

The main object of my invention is the provision, for use in' connection with a brush element having an inherent resiliency, of a brush holder so constructed that the resiliency of said brush element is utilized to detachably. hold it in position with respect to said holder.

Other objects will beY apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tooth brush constructed in accordance with my invention;

, Fig. 2 is a element;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the brush and holder;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the forward end of the holder and brush element; Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the rear 'end of the holder. v Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which like numerals represent similar parts, 1 indicates the brush holder, 0f

perspective view of the brush any rigid material, and 2 the brush element. l

As shown the brush element is provided with a twisted wire member 3, which holds thel bristles 4. The extremities of the member 3, as will be seen, project beyond the ends of the brush element 2, whereby attachment thereof to a holder is facilitated. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the outer-surface of the bristles 4 presents an unbroken cylindrical contour, except on the lower face, where a portion of the bristles are cut out as at 4 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The holder 1 comprises a handle portion 5 preferably of trough like formation, for

drainage purposes, and is provided with an aperture 6, whereby the tooth brush may be v suspended from a nail or other suitable device upon the wall. The forward portion of the holder is provided with a liat surface 7, having a transversely disposed upwardly extending projection or standard 8, said standard being formed integral with the holder. As shown, a longitudinally disposed nib 9 formed integral with the holder, extends forwardly and projects over said flat surface 7, whereby an opening 10 is provided between the under surface of the nib and the fiat surface 7, for a purpose to be presently described.

The under surface of the nib 9 is provided with an opened bottom recess 11, substantially semi-circular in cross-section, into which one end of the brush element is adapted to seat and be held. Atthe forward ex tremity of the holder, an upwardly extending member 12 is formed. This member 12 is made integral with said holder and is pro.- vided with a rece 13 adapted to seat the other end of the brush element. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the plane of the top surface of the standard 8, is .higher than the plane of the recesses 11 and 13, whereby, when the brush element is inserted in the holder, said element will be put under tension, whereby the ends 3-'3 will be causedto firmly engage the upper walls of the seats 11 and 13, and thereby assist in holding the element in position.

In operation, when it is desired t0 attach the brush element in the holder, one o f the projecting ends of the wire 3 is rst inserted in the recess 13. This operation causes the brush element to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The operator then presses the opposite extremity of the brush element downward and through the openlng 10 until it registers with the recess 11. This movement, owing to the fact that the plane of the top surface of the standard is higher than that of the recesses 11 and 13, causes the Wire 3 to be flexed at the point of engagement with said standard. -It will be seen therefore, that on account of the inherent resiliency of said brush element, when the pressure is removed from said end, it will automatically seat itself in the recess 11, whereby the brush element will be securely held in the holder. v As hereinbefore stated, the under surface of the brush element is cut out as at 4', and

when said brush element has been attached to the holder as just described, the ends of the bristles thereof will engage along the edges' of the holder at either side, and effectively prevent rotation of said brush element with respect to said holder.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a tooth brush of very simple construction, and one in which the brush element when worn out, may be renewed from time. to time. On account of the particular construction of the brush element, my invention is advantageous in that the said brush element may be removed and sterilized without any apparent deteriorating effect. The holder, which may be constructed of any rigid material, is preferably formed from aluminum or aluminoid, as I have found this material to be light, yet very strong and efficient for this purpose, and provides the user with a holder which is based on sanitary principles. The invention also provides a holder which is devoid of moving parts, the construction being of integral formation so that the liability of breakage is reduce to a minimum.

The fact that the holder is practically indestructible, enables the manufacturer to package and sell with each holder, a set of brush elements, say one-half dozen, which may be easily and quickly renewed in the holder as the occasion demands.

Modifications of this invention may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but I claim as my invention all such changes as fall clearly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tooth brush comprising a holder having an elongated portion, and provided with a recess adjacent each end of said portion, a resilient brush element extending longitudinally of said portion and having ends adapted to fit linto said recesses, and a standard on said portion adapted for en gagement with said element whereby the ends of said element are detachably held in said recesses.

2. A tooth brush comprising a holder having. a flat back, a resilient brush element, said holder being provided with projections on one side of the back having recesses for the reception of the ends of said element, and a standard formed on said holder intel'- mediate said projections, for retaining the central portion of said element in a plane above that of its ends, whereby the inherent resiliency of said element is utilized to detachably hold it in position on said holder.

3. In combination with a brush element, a holder for tooth brushes 'formed of a single piece of material, comprising a handle portion, an elongated portion provided with recessed projections adapted for the reception of the ends of the brush element, and a standard intermediatesaid projections and `adapted for engagement with said element, substantially as described.

4. A tooth brush comprising a holder, a resilient brush element, a projection formed on said holder intermediate its ends and provided with a recess, a recessed projection formed on the extremity of said holder, and a standard formed on said holder intermediate said projections for retaining said brush element in flexed position with the ends thereof seated in said recesses.

5. A tooth brush comprising a holder, a resilient brush element, said holder having a flat surface thereon, a longitudinally disposed nib extending forward and projecting over said flat portion and provided with a recess, an upstanding member having a recess therein formed on the extremity of said holder, and a standard formed on said holder intermediate said nib and said upstanding member adapted to hold said brush element, in iexed position whereby the brush element is detachably secured to said holder by its inherent resiliency. t

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH T. WILSON.

Witnesses:

T. A. Downs, FRANK P. PoRcH. 

